Sales Engineer: Western & Eastern Cape

The Timken Company; Cape Town; On-site; CAD 77,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

Timken South Africa is seeking a commercially driven Sales Engineer based in Cape Town or surrounding areas to drive growth in bearing and power transmission solutions for industrial customers. The role focuses on opening doors, solving technical challenges, and building trusted customer partnerships while meeting or exceeding regional sales targets.

You will spend 70% of time in face-to-face engagements, develop regional call plans, grow the distribution channel, and work with internal teams to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred).
• 5+ years sales experience within industrial sectors such as bearings, mining, metals, cement, power generation, heavy industry, or industrial distribution.
• Fluent in business English, verbal and written.
• Afrikaans (conversational) will be advantageous.
• Valid, unendorsed driver’s license.
• Must be based in Cape Town or within a 30 km radius.
• Must be a South African citizen.

Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed sales targets in line with regional strategies and management direction.
• Collaborate with the Sales Manager to develop regional call plans and implement direct Customer and End User growth tactics.
• Implement regional business strategies to grow distribution sales revenue, including business development.
• Spend at least 70% of working time on direct, face-to-face customer engagement—both new and existing.
• Identify market opportunities and assess potential for Timken’s products.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Engineering, Customer Service, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain.
• Develop and support a robust channel partner network through joint visits and marketing activities.
• Identify and map new target customers/end users across diverse industrial sectors.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred)

Tools

Salesforce

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

Job description

What Timken Makes Possible Begins With You.

Those who came before us helped land a man on the moon, create the world's infrastructure, and introduce renewable energy alternatives. Now you can join the Timken team to write your own unique story and help drive what's next.

A career at Timken means you can have an immediate impact doing Work That Matters to the world— improving the efficiency of today's industrial equipment and preparing for the future of motion on our planet and beyond. New employees can start contributing right away, and there are many opportunities to advance your career at your own pace. Join our global team of 19,000 people in 45 countries, and start helping our customers push the limits of what's possible in their world of motion.

Role Summary

Are you a commercially driven Sales Engineer who enjoys opening doors, solving technical challenges, and building trusted customer partnerships? We need you to join our Team!!!

Timken is looking for a high-energy, results-focused Sales Engineer to drive growth across the Western and Eastern Cape, with a strong focus on the industrial sector. Based in or around Cape Town, you will play a key role in growing customer relationships, achieving sales targets, identifying new business opportunities, and positioning Timken’s innovative bearing and power transmission solutions as trusted products for demanding industrial applications.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys combining technical knowledge, customer engagement, and business development in a role with real market impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed sales targets in line with regional strategies and management direction.
• Collaborate with the Sales Manager to develop regional call plans and implement direct Customer and End User growth tactics.
• Implement regional business strategies to grow distribution sales revenue, including business development, to ensure constant alignment with market dynamics and trends is maintained.
• Spend at least 70% of working time on direct, face-to-face customer engagement—both new and existing. Customer engagement is classified as distribution channel and end user based.
• Identify market opportunities and assess potential for Timken’s products.
• Bearing and Power Transmission related product portfolios.
• 70% Bearing and 30% Power Transmission focus.
• Strengthen relationships across all customer levels, coordinating with internal functions like Marketing, Engineering, Customer Service, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain.
• Develop and support a robust channel partner network through joint visits, technical guidance, and marketing activities. For distribution customers throughout the Western and Eastern Cape regions.
• Identify and map new target customers/end users, focusing on a diverse spread of industrial sectors
• Manufacturing, Mining, Pulp and Paper/Forestry, Marine, Oil and Gas, FMCG sectors.
• Understand customer drivers and market trends to influence buying decisions and promote new solutions or products.
• Create focused tactics and account plans to effectively target high-potential customers and segments.
• Provide internal and external technical training on Timken products and applications.
• Maintain a healthy CRM pipeline by logging quality opportunities and visit records; ensure pipeline aligns with sales targets.
• Monitor competitor activities and develop counter-strategies using Timken’s value proposition. Participate in pricing strategy development and customer negotiations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred).
• Minimum 5 years sales experience within industrial sectors such as bearings, mining, metals, cement, power generation, heavy industry, or industrial distribution.
• Fluent in business English, verbal and written.
• Afrikaans (conversational) will be advantageous.
• Valid, unendorsed driver’s license.
• Must be based in Cape Town or within a 30 km radius.
• Must be a South African citizen.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles and rotating equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret technical mechanical drawings and specifications.
• Proficient in industrial product application and troubleshooting.
• CRM software proficiency (e.g., Salesforce).
• Familiarity with pricing models, sales forecasting, and reporting tools.
• Ability to conduct technical presentations and product demos.
• Good command of MS Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint.

Soft Skills

• High-energy, self-motivated 'hunter' mindset.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing abilities.
• Problem-solving mindset with customer-first thinking.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Strategic thinking with a proactive approach to business development.
• Team player who can collaborate cross-functionally.
• Adaptable and resilient in a dynamic market environment.
• Project management experience.

Why Timken?

This is an opportunity to grow your career with Timken, a respected international engineering company with a strong reputation for reliability, performance, and technical expertise. With Timken South Africa established since 1932, you will be joining a stable, well-known business with deep regional roots and global backing.

All qualified applicants shall be treated equally according to their individual qualifications, abilities, experiences and other employment standards. There will be no discrimination due to gender or gender identity, race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran/military status or any other basis protected by applicable law.